Dobutamine and gastric-to-arterial carbon dioxide gap in severe sepsis without shock

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of an early dobutamine infusion on gastrointestinal perfusion in patients with severe sepsis. Design: Prospective, randomized, controlled, multicenter clinical study. Setting: Six medical and/or surgical intensive care units (ICU) of teaching hospitals. Patients: Forty-two patients with severe sepsis. Interventions: Patients were divided into two groups according to gastric-to-arterial CO2 gap (DeltaCO(2)) [normal DeltaCO(2) group (n=17): DeltaCO(2) less than or equal to8 mmHg; increased DeltaCO(2) group (n=25): DeltaCO(2) >8 mmHg]. Patients within each group were then randomized to receive either dobutamine (5 mug/kg per min) or saline for 72 h. Measurements and main results: SAPS II was similar in both groups [group 1: 44.0 (33.0-56.5); group 2: 48.5 (40.5-59.0), p=0.27]. At ICU admission, mean arterial pressure was lower in the high DeltaCO(2) group [73.0 (67.0-79.5) mmHg, p=0.03] than in the normal DeltaCO(2) group [84.0 (73.7-104.0) mmHg] while blood lactate [normal DeltaCO(2) group: 1.6 (0.8-2.3); high DeltaCO(2) group: 1.6 (1.1-1.9) mmol/l] was similar for the two groups. DeltaCO(2) was significantly lower in the normal DeltaCO(2) group [5.0 (2.0-6.0) mmHg] than in the high DeltaCO(2) group [11.0 (10.0-19.0) mmHg]. Dobutamine infusion did not significantly change hemodynamics, blood lactate concentration or tonometric parameters in any group within the first 72 h and had no particular beneficial effect in this population. Conclusions: An early infusion of dobutamine at a fixed dose of 5 mug/kg per min during the first 72 h of severe sepsis does not influence gastric DeltaCO(2).